1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tart soft creamy water separation resistant tofu product and to a method of manufacturing same.
2. Information Disclosure and Summary of the Present Invention
While a soy bean curd called tofu has been well known for some time, it is believed that prior to the present invention there has been no natural, organic tofu product resistant to water separation and yet having a tart soft creamy texture.
In recent years, soy bean curd has been recognized as a high quality protein which has been disclosed as useful, for example, for making seasonings or prepared foods including spreads and the like. The prior art appears to be directed to special processes and agents used in the formation of the actual tofu from soy beans and more particularly to the manner of obtaining and treating the curd during the initial formation of the tofu.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,460,613 a soy based cheese food is described in which the soy protein slurry, after heating to a temperature of at least about 200.degree. F., is retained under positive pressure following which the slurry is cooled and mixed with an edible oil to improve whiteness of the products.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,537,789 the rate of rise of temperature at the center of a raw material for tofu is adjusted to within a specific range together with the pressure to obtain a tofu which is purported to be smooth and have a compact texture free from pores and syneresis.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,511,588 a preservable granular particulate tofu which is smooth and does not liberate water during storage is prepared by coagulating soy bean milk or soy bean protein paste in heated oil at specified temperatures at higher soy bean milk concentrations than are conventionally used in ordinary tofu; the pH of the paste is elevated and egg white is added to coagulate the soy bean milk.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,303,678 a long shelf life packaged soy bean curd is disclosed as being produced without the inclusion of any artificial additives such as coagulating agents and the like wherein soy bean juice is subjected to lactic acid fermentation until it reaches a specified pH whereupon the soy bean juice is subjected to heating to adjust the curd tension.
One of the many advantages of the present invention is that a novel tofu product can be manufactured using basically a standard tofu product by adopting the novel processing steps subsequent to the formation of the curd from the soy bean slurry without requiring or utilizing various additives, pressurized systems, heated oils or the like.
It is an object of the present invention to produce a novel tofu cheese product having major health benefits including the production of a product which is natural and organic, does not require any additives and yet has a novel creamy (rather than grainy) consistency while retaining beneficial characteristics such as low fat, low sodium, and virtually no cholesterol.
Another object of the present invention is to produce a cream cheese substitute having the aforementioned attributes, further characterized in that it has a novel tart taste which is similar to that of boursin cheese and has a unique texture which makes the product a novel entry into the natural/health foods market place.
Yet another object of the present invention is to create such a unique product while utilizing a generally standard recipe for the initial processing of tofu from soy beans and then treating same using natural means without resorting to expensive and/or complicated processes and/or systems.
Still yet a further object of the present invention is to produce a relatively non-porous integral tofu brick by virtue of control of moisture content and by incorporating novel tofu pressing and cooling techniques.
Yet another object of the present invention is to treat the firm integral tofu brick by coating same with a natural miso coating and then naturally aging the brick to produce a smooth and compact texture which is relatively free from pores and syneresis.
Yet a further object of the present invention is to treat the aged brick in a manner which produces a soft creamy textured low salt tofu product.
Other objects will be understood by those skilled in the art upon reading the specification herein including the detailed description of the preferred embodiment and the claims.